30 Proposals
by Aileene
Summary: Alternate prompt list 30proposals from the 30kisses livejournal community. Robin and Raven centered. Chapters 7 & 8 contain a bit of mature content, so be warned
1. The Rings on the other hand

**Oneshot series borrowed from the Livejournal 30kisses alternate prompt list, 30proposals. The first one was 'the rings on the other hand.' **

**Read and Enjoy:)**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, no sorry not mine, just played with for a bit.**

On the ring finger of her right hand a band of gems winked at her in the moonlight. It was a promise ring he had given her all those years ago when they had survived the end of the world. A promise of friendship, of love and of hope. A reminder of all the sunrises to come and the importance of belief in one's self and each other.

"I don't wear jewelry." She had protested with a grimace when he had placed the multi-colored band of sapphires on her finger, she had tried not to stare as the colors shimmered like a fresh rainbow.

"It's not really jewelry," He qualified, still holding her hand. "It's more of a symbol." Then he had reached out and brushed a hand across the gemstone on her forehead and lightly fingered her cloak. "You wear symbols."

Now the boy from her memory was a man and he kneeled before her in the moonlight offering yet another symbol.

"A promise," He smiled as he saw her gaze at the ring on her right hand, "Another symbol of a promise to wear on the other hand."

"What are you promising this time Boy Wonder?" She asked dryly, but she let him place the solitaire on her left hand without protest.

"Me, just me this time," He stood and pulled her into his arms, wrapping himself in the scent of her. "Is that enough?"

"Enough?" She paused to think it over for a moment, "That's everything."


	2. Everything but the kitchen sink

**Prompt # 5 'Everything but the kitchen sink' and I still don't own them.**

The room was awash in the scent of lilies and roses, causing Raven's head to ache almost as much as her feet did from the heels that she wore. She would endure this kind of torture for only one person in her life and the sound of Starfire's laughter echoing around the reception hall brought a quick smile to her face.

Marriage, who thought that they would ever have lived long enough to even think seriously about it and here she was at the wedding of her friend. The bride and groom swayed in the center of the dance floor as the band started to play one of those sugary sweet love songs that were ever so popular at such functions.

"Raven," The voice from behind her was accompanied by a hand containing a mug of hot tea. "You looked like you could use this."

"Where did you find this?" She asked, although she shouldn't have wondered. Anything that Robin wanted done, he usually got done. A cup of tea would be a simple thing to him.

"All part of the package," He winked at her and followed her gaze to the couple on the dance floor, "They look good together." He said simply.

"No regrets?" She wasn't really worried, more curious than anything.

"Star and I had our time; we are both much happier now as friends." He smiled at her carefully wrapping his arm around her waist to avoid spilling the hot drink.

"She is probably the only one who could have ever convinced Roy to settle down." She gave a small laugh at the memory of how stunned Speedy looked during their whole courtship, like he couldn't believe that it was real. "I don't even think he notices how much she civilized him."

"He's the only one who can survive a lifetime of her cooking." Robin joked, "Only because he never stops looking at her long enough to look at what she puts on his plate."

"She does tend to throw in everything but the kitchen sink when she is cooking." Raven agreed, wondering how many dimensions she had dumped Star's meals into over the past few years.

"It kind of makes you think doesn't it?" He asked, leading into a subject he had wanted to broach since Star and Roy's announcement.

"About what exactly?" She turned her head from the dance floor that was now becoming crowded with superheroes in varying forms of formal attire and spandex costumes. "The wonder of Roy's iron stomach or that Star still hasn't learned to cook after all these years?"

"No," He laughed and looked down into her eyes, "I mean that superheroes can have a good relationship without compromising either."

"Really?" She smirked at him, "Fascinating."

"Don't be snide," He said, "We aren't exactly white picket people Raven."

"You want to be?" She asked seriously, wondering where he was headed with this line of thought.

"Not really no, maybe if I had never seen this side of the world I could be content there, but not now. I'll never be a nine to five type of guy." His eyes were serious behind his mask and she could read the tension in his body.

"I never wanted you to be." She insisted, "Where are you headed with this Robin?"

He didn't really hear her, already lost in his thoughts. "I would try it for you if you wanted, but I don't think I could live it for very long."

"Robin," Exasperated she turned around in his arms and set her tea on the table near them. She took his face in her hands, "What the hell are you talking about? I have never asked you to be anything but what you are or wanted you to be anything else."

"I know, I just wanted to make sure before I asked you something." He smiled down at her again, enjoying the rare sight of her in a dress, glad that Star had chosen a dark blue as one of her colors instead of the pink everyone had expected.

"Robin," She said his name on a sigh and shook her head. "Just spit it out, my feet ache from these shoes and my head is about to implode between the music and the flowers. I really don't have the patience to deal with your prevaricating."

He shifted from her grasp and kneeled in front of her, after all he always believed that some traditions should be observed. He ignored her tug on his arm and sharp whisper for him to stand up and stop making a fool of himself.

"Raven, you are my reason to breathe, my heart and my soul. Every time I am somewhere without you I feel an emptiness, I don't want to feel empty anymore. I am asking you with my heart in my hands; will you marry me?" He smiled at her and gave a wink, "I promise to eat anything you cook."

"Robin…" Helplessly she looked around, uncomfortable with the gazes they were attracting and off-center by the warmth flooding her heart and cheeks.

"Raven…" He parroted in the same tone.

She shook her head and smiled at him. "How could I say no to you?"

In a single fluid movement Robin was on his feet and she was in his arms, his lips on hers and Raven didn't even notice the applause that rang around them.


	3. Because we have to

**This is the prompt #13 'because we have to' I am not terribly sure of this one, but it insisted on being written even after a sleeping pill and a pain pill last night, so here you are :) Sorry about the re-upload..I found a few silly mistakes, I hope I got them all lol :)  
**

**Read and Review :) **

**Disclaimer: Still don't own**

Women had come and gone, most still remained friendly even after multiple broken engagements and hearts. He was pretty sure that none of them had ever loved the real him and he sure as hell hadn't allowed himself to fully love them.

Oh he had felt the heady rush of emotion and desire each and every time, he had also felt the desperate need to be loved and understood, even while he hid the most important parts of himself from them.

So he remained alone, a dark silhouette in the night, a blurred shadow of his masked mentor. He fought the criminals and evils of the world so that others could go home and enjoy the life he refused and only observed.

Every now and then his mind would slip back into his past, a past where he wore a brightly colored uniform and had gone by a far different name. A past that was full of friends that he called family, a time when he never thought too long on being alone.

He crouched a roof away from the apartment he called home, watching the dark of night lighten into the grey dawn of day. He wondered what had brought on this recent trip into nostalgia and memory, to thoughts of the past and regrets that littered the landscape of his life.

He felt the presence behind him even before he heard the soft sigh of her cloak whip in the wind.

"What brings you here?" His voice was husky from fatigue and memory, not that he was surprised; she always managed to appear when he took these side trips into the past.

"You called me." Her answer was as simple and to the point, just as it had always been.

"I didn't mean to bother you."

"You never do," She sighed and moved past him, "I'll see you inside; I don't feel like freezing while you circumvent the problem for the next hour." With barely a ripple in the air she was out of sight, by the lights fast flickering to life in his apartment he figured locked doors didn't keep her out any better now than they ever had in the past.

He entered his apartment through the balcony window, shutting it behind him and drawing the drapes. He paused briefly as he turned around, adjusting his vision to the brightness indoors.

Raven sat at the table her hands folded in front of her, cloak hood down and purple gaze steady on him.

"Tea?" He asked moving to the kitchen to fill the tea kettle that waited only for these rare visits.

"You might as well tell me what is wrong Richard." Raven's voice was soft and moved over his ravaged nerves like a soothing balm. He thanked the gods he no longer believed in that some things never changed.

"I don't know, I really don't." He turned and leaned back against the counter as he waited for the kettle to heat, he shrugged his shoulders at her arched brow. "Just the usual I suppose, I really didn't mean to bother you."

"It's something we have both had to grow used to over the years, I was near by anyway." She replied with a wave of her hand, dismissing the bond that reached out whenever one of them was troubled. "Is there something big going down?"

"No, not really," He gave a familiar smirk, He turned and poured the steaming water into two mugs before crossing the room to sit next to her at the table. He watched her curl her small hands around the warm cup and inhale the steam that was rising from it. Nightwing felt a spear of something run straight to his gut, but he brushed it away just as he had been doing since he met the dark witch. "Just the regular line up of criminals and crimes."

"A girl then?" Raven arched a brow again, taking a testing sip of the hot beverage.

"Not for awhile actually." He smiled a little, "I think breaking that last engagement with Star was a little brutal for both of us."

"Maybe that is the problem then, you need a girl." Raven replied flippantly, a small smile curving one corner of her mouth.

"I thought you said that was my problem last time." He laughed feeling a weight lift off his shoulders just at the light conversation.

"Things change with time," She looked at him closely, "Maybe it is time you start thinking of having a companion or at the very least a friend who is nearby. This solitary hero was never your thing Robin."

"I haven't been Robin for a long time and I have been alone just as long." His face grew shadowed, only Raven would approach this territory.

"You always worked better in a team," She paused, "When you remembered you were actually in a team."

"I haven't done too bad that last few years." He said defensively.

"Not in the actual heroing department, but you aren't Batman. You were never meant to be alone." It was an old argument and one she brought up every time they sat together like this.

"Who would I call to be my sidekick? My partner?" He asked harshly, "Everyone has a life of their own now, troubles of their own."

"Perhaps you haven't thought to ask the right people, we never left you Robin, you left us." Her tone wasn't accusatory, just factual. Her continued use of his old name touched something inside of him, something he thought he had killed long ago.

"You were all able to take care of yourselves…I didn't abandon you." He replied hastily, wincing as he managed to slosh some of the hot liquid over onto his hand.

"No, you didn't abandon us." She agreed with a nod, "You abandoned yourself. You changed your uniform and name, took yourself from the city you had protected."

"I left Jump to you all, and the team has done a wonderful job with it." He insisted, "Beastboy grew up and took responsibility for the new team with Cyborg. Starfire had her own world she had to go back to."

"And me?" Raven asked quietly, a question that had often hung between them, but had never been asked.

"You have always managed Raven, you are a survivor. You got an opportunity to be normal."

"I have never been normal." She said leaning forward and taking his burned hand in hers she pulled in her healing power and took the burn away. "You said good bye to all of them, you kept in contact with Star. Hell you kept in more contact with the villains we fought than with me. The only time we talk is when you have these small episodes that I can't ignore." She sighed "No matter how much I should." She stood and moved towards the window.

"I don't mean to bother you." He repeated his earlier defense.

"Yes you do," She turned to look at him and shook her head. "You know that all you have to do is feel this way and I will show up and you will no longer be lonely. I become a quick fix to your loneliness, a balm to the pain that memories have caused. Then you are better and I leave…I leave filled with that pain, I leave more lonely than I was when I appeared at your door."

"I'm sorry," He was at a loss for words, he hadn't known that these brief visits that meant so much to him caused her so much sorrow and pain. "I would have tried harder to control this if I had known."

"Maybe," She conceded, "Then again maybe not. I know what it is going to cost me each time I show up, but I come anyway."

"Why is that?" Innate curiosity warred with his desire to honor her privacy. He stood and moved to stand in front of her, "Why do you come when I need you?"

She smiled sadly at him, as if he couldn't understand the simplest thing. "Because Robin, you need me."

The truth in that simple statement staggered him; everything that he had shoved away over the years flooded his mind and heart. Every part of him felt the pain and the joy at the breaking of the dam of emotion that poured over his soul.

"I need you." He parroted back, his eyes wide behind his mask. His mind a flurry of activity and wonder.

"I don't know why I can't resist the call you send, but perhaps it is time we both learn to stand alone or to rely on someone else." The apathy in her voice clearly covering the pain that the words had caused her.

"I need you." He said again reaching out to take her hands in his.

"You keep saying that." She replied dryly wondering if she had some how struck him dumb. "I think it is time for me to go."

"No," He raised his voice and clung tightly to her hands as she started to turn away, "I need you, you need me."

"Robin you are going to have to be a little clearer in your statements." She said with a sigh, forcibly ignoring the flutter of hope that shook her heart.

"I have been stupid, idiotic…the stupidest man on the planet."

"You're in the running, but I don't know that you have won the award just yet…keep talking though you might get there." An arched brow and dry voice skewered him.

"Raven you know me better than any other person on this planet or any other. You know parts of me I have never shared with another soul and still you come when I call. You know me in tears, in laughter; you know me at my best and my worst and still you're here. Doesn't that tell you anything?" His voice was deep with hidden emotion.

"That I'm a glutton for punishment?" She asked. She sent feelers along their bond and was confused by the response that came back. "I can't read you Robin, please just tell me what you want so I can go."

"I want you," With a quick jerk of his hand he had her in his arms "I need you."

"When I said to get a girl I didn't mean me." Panic edged her tone, "Don't play with me Richard, I won't stand for it like the rest of you harem."

"Play," He laughed joyously for the first time in a very long time, "I don't intend to play with you Raven, I intend to love you."

"You love very loosely." Raven replied. "I have witnessed the parade through the doors and the wedding invitations in the mail."

"I have never loved like this, never needed or wanted like this." He tightened an arm around her as she tried to edge away, using his free hand to tilt her chin until she was looking in his face. "I have never trusted anyone as much as I do you."

"I don't know that I can do this, I don't know that I am built for this kind of thing Robin." She whispered desperately. "I don't know how to feel this way with someone else."

"Neither do I," He replied, "We'll learn together."

"Why are we doing this?" She asked, but he could feel the surrender in her body and hear it in her tone.

"Because we have to, because we are meant to." He said leaning down and capturing her lips with his, silencing any other protests. "Marry me Raven."

"You usually ask that as the relationship falls apart." She said dryly.

"This is different; I don't intend to lose you." He gave her a smile that melted the last of her resistance.

"Very well, but you'll be damned if you leave me at that altar Richard Greyson."

"I'll be damned?" He smirked at her, "I'd have to be dead."


	4. Amnesia

**This is #3 for the prompt list 'Amnesia' I didn't really want to go with the usual thought on it, so I played around with it until I found a way to write it how I wanted to :)**

**I hope you enjoy, please read and review.**

**Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own. but I want to :(**

"Amnesia?" Shock thrilled through his tone sharply edged with anger; after all he hadn't really expected an answer.

"Certainly," Raven gave a small smile; even know he couldn't see it in the darkness of the living room. "Amnesia is a perfectly excusable reason to forget about you."

"You weren't supposed to have an answer," He muttered. "Even with amnesia I would remember you."

"Don't whine," She chided. "You are very fond of making statements on impossibilities." She cocked her head to the side so she could view his shadow beside her on the couch, he still wore his Nightwing persona, but he had removed the mask and his blue eyes pierced her through the darkness.

Finally hearing the wry humor in her tone Nightwing relaxed, pulling her into his arms and tucking her head beneath his chin. "Well then I suppose if you forget, then it would be my duty to remind you of us."

"I'd hate to take you away from saving the world for something so mundane." She replied settling herself comfortably in his arms, enjoying the warmth and safety they offered.

"You are my world." He tightened his arms around her slightly as he thought briefly of the very real possibility of losing her to the job they undertook each day and night.

"That's rather clichéd isn't it?" She asked lightly, trying to soothe the concern she felt drift off of him.

"I'm a rather clichéd kinda guy." He smiled as she turned her body around so she could see his face. "At least you don't complain about my costume anymore."

"Well the color scheme is better to say the least." She smiled gently at him.

"You only say that because I wear your colors." He laughed lightly and kissed her upturned face.

She shook her head with a small chuckle of her own and moved from his embrace. "I'm going to make some tea."

"Why tea?" He asked, for what must have been the millionth time.

"Why do you even ask anymore?" She moved into their small kitchenette flicking on the dim light over the stove and quickly setting filled kettle on to heat. "I like tea."

"It tastes like flowers." He said crossing into the kitchen himself. "You are my world." He repeated suddenly as a wave of overwhelming love swamped him as he watched her move around the small area. "The best thing to ever happen to me."

"I didn't exactly take you to heaven all those years ago." She said dryly, pouring the steaming water over the tea bag.

He waited until she set the kettle down before reaching out and turning her towards him. "It wasn't that long ago, besides I went to Hell to find my Heaven."

"You are in a mood tonight." Her lips curved slightly, a whisper of a smile.

"Marry me," The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to stop them. Marriage was something they never talked about.

"Excuse me?" He was glad her hood was down so he could see the emotions flickering in her eyes.

"Marry me Raven," It still wasn't a question; it was more a demand and an increasingly desperate one at that.

"I…I…" She was stunned speechless, something that didn't often happen to her and a fact she found distinctly uncomfortable with. "Why?"

He smiled at her, drawing her closer to him. "I like you."

She heard his words, but it was the unspoken vows she saw in his eyes that answered her question.

"Yes."

Their lips met in a soft kiss and their hearts thumped against each other in a rhythm that lovers have known since the beginning of time.


	5. The Cat's Out of The Bag

**'The cat's out of the bag' #19 in the 30proposals prompt list...hope you enjoy it, I couldn't go to sleep until it was written, despite my begging and pleading with the muse...Gypsy is in a mood this month so all should be wary of her.**

**Feed a writer's ego Read and Review**

**Disclaimer:not mine in the least.**

Somehow through traps laid and luck the two of them managed to be fighting alone two rooftops away from her team mates.

"I can't do what you want." She said between clenched teeth as she circled the enemy looking for a weak spot to exploit.

"Won't," He hissed through the mask that covered his face.

"I can't and I won't."

"You want me," He insisted.

"I want quite a few things that I will do without in life," She gave him a smirk as she managed to get close enough to pin him to the wall. "I love them more than I want you."

Through a series of maneuvers he was free again, but Raven had what she had been after, the belt lay in her hands now.

"Robin will never give you what I can." He caressed her face as he moved away from her.

"Arrogance or desperation speaking Red?" She lifted a brow at him in faint mockery.

"You know it's true," He moved to the edge of the roof top as he heard the others closing in. "You want me and I want you, why do you have to complicate it?"

"It's only complicated if I let it be." She smirked at him, "You've lost this round, the girl and your belt."

He was gone when the others rounded the corner, Robin frantically searching the area and lashing out questions and demands. Beastboy reclined back against the roof edge to catch his breath and Star took to the sky to see if she could see anything from there.

"You let him get away," Robin yelled at Raven, "We could have him and that suit in custody by now, but you let him get away."

"Here," Raven tossed the Red-X belt to her leader and turned to leave for the tower, the battle had not been easy for her and she had almost given in on the most emotional level. Red was right, she did want him, the only thing stopping her from running to him with her arms wide open was the love she held for her teammates and friends.

"You got the belt?" Robin's voice was stunned, "How did you get the belt."

"He thought he was going to get a kiss, I stole the belt instead." She responded simply, with her back to him she didn't notice the way Robin froze at the word 'kiss' or the way his eyes narrowed at the thought.

"You kissed our enemy?" His voice was strained, the desire to find Red and beat him until he was bloody crossed his mind.

"No, I don't do kissing, but he thought I would, which put his guard down and we now own an important piece of the suit again." She looked at him over her shoulder. "Try to keep it locked up better this time; I would hate to actually have to kiss him to get it back next time."

Those were her final words for the evening and she took off for the tower, leave the PR work to the rest of them this time around. She barely beat Robin back as it was; he was in such a hurry to get that belt to safety he had left clean-up to the other three.

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"Would you have kissed him?" This comment came from the roof doorway about an hour later.

"Would it really matter?" She asked unfolding herself from the lotus position and turning to look at him, he held a cup of tea in his hand, a peace offering for his earlier behavior.

"It would matter." He held out the cup of tea to her, but his eyes were intent on her face.

"Why, because I would betray our team for an enemy?" She took the warm mug of tea with a nod and a slight smile.

"No," He sighed and ran a shaking hand through his hair, "I don't know."

"Well despite claims to the contrary, I really can't read your mind, so you'll just have to tell me what you mean." She took a cautious sip of the hot beverage, giving him time to gather his thoughts.

"It would matter to me," He sighed again and shook his head, stepping past her to look out over the edge of the roof. "It would be personal."

"Personal?" She arched both brows at him, "I understand that you wouldn't want to see a friend hurt by someone like him and I can assure you that nothing will ever happen in that direction no matter what he thinks."

"He'll keep pursuing until your defenses are down and then he'll get what he wants, that is what men like that do Raven."

"I know what men like him are capable of, but he doesn't hold my heart." She set the tea on the ground beside them and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"He'll try to get it Raven and he won't stop until it's engaged." Worry echoed throughout his tone and he turned to look at her.

"My heart has already been engaged, he doesn't stand a chance, and I promise you that Robin." Her lips curved into a rare smile before she turned to go.

"Who has engaged your heart Raven? Why was he pushing, why did he have to know?

"I don't think that is something that I need to share right now." She replied hastily, wishing she hadn't brought it up in the first place.

"The cat's out of the bag, you may as well just tell me." Robin smiled at her, wondering why her answer suddenly meant the entire world to him.

"You," She sighed, her back to him. "You are the only one my heart sees and no matter how hard Red fights that, he can't change it."

"I see you as well Raven," The words were so quiet that it took the night breeze to bring them to her ears and a moment more before she understood the connotation behind them.

"Do you?" She turned to face him hope running fleetingly across her face, before it settled back into its apathetic tones.

"I can't imagine anyone else that I see as well as I see you." He reached out and ran a hand over her cheek, he watched her tilt her face into it and saw the small blush run across her cheek.

"I thought this would take you forever." She admitted quietly, taking a step closer to him and ending up wrapped tightly in his arms.

"So did I," He smiled down at her and leaned in for a kiss. "Let's not take forever with the rest of it."

Breaking from the kiss she gazed at him, "What do you mean?"

"I think a wedding is what I mean." He chuckled at the look of astonishment on her face.

"But we haven't even dated." She protested.

"You date to get to know someone; we know each other better than couples married for fifty years."

"Well I suppose you did go to hell for me, marrying you might just be fair play." She said slyly.

"Well it probably won't be easy, but I promise you that it won't be hell." His smile met hers.

Their lips came together once again and her answer was spoken in the silence.

Neither saw the shadow that had come to watch them, He had come to take the dark witch in his own arms and convince her that she should be with him. Now he knew he was too late and that he had lost.


	6. Inappropriate Timing

**#9 Inappropriate Timing for the 30proposals prompt list. It's a little odd, and they both may be a little OOC, but I tried to place them in an ongoing relationship, so I would imagine some of their normal reticence would be gone or at least a little less with each other. I hope you enjoy it. :)**

**Read and Review Please :)**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, although I now have a very nice picture of a Shirtless Speedy thanks to Kysra :)**

Right hand raised to block his left; powers carefully kept in check, a feat easier said than done for her, especially when he began his arrogant taunts and instructions or she hadn't managed to appropriately meditate during the day.

Oh, he would stop if she objected in any way to these late night sparring sessions, but to halt them would be to admit defeat and Raven rarely surrendered.

"Concentrate Raven," Robin's words came in between measured breaths as he advanced on her. "You'll never last five minutes with that kind of technique."

"Shut up and fight Robin." She hissed as she met his attack, holding her position on the mat.

"Your witty responses not withstanding," He gave a quick smirk, "Attack Raven, you will never defeat your enemy by playing defense." Robin's instructions were clipped and punctuated by the quick slaps of hand to hand.

"Robin?" Raven asked her tone dry as she moved forward with a leg swipe that ended up with him on the floor. He rolled to his feet too quickly for her to pin him, but she felt the rush of accomplishment.

"Yes Rae?" He said as they cautiously circled each other once again.

"You are aware of how much I dislike repeating myself," She launched a few jabs towards his chest and then caught him with a surprise attack on his abdomen. "But since you since unusually dense tonight, I repeat shut up and fight." She barely managed a leap and roll away as he went back on the offensive and came at her with a leg swipe.

"You forget I am the leader," He leapt forward, catching a jab of hers in his hand and flipping her to the ground, smoothly landing on top of her. "I don't take orders."

She smiled cat-like and wrapped her legs around his waist, and angled her body up and over with a thrust until she had switched their positions. "You don't lead here." She responded. "No powers, no leaders. Equal footing, remember." She was careful to keep him pinned, a move he had taught her well.

"Equal?" He asked with a smile, chest heaving from exertion and hands pinned carefully beneath hers. She was gorgeous, he thought. The soft sheen of sweat enhanced her pale skin, making her seem to glow; her hair was short and wild around her face and her chest rose and fell with her heavy breaths. "I don't think anyone could ever equal you."

"Sweet," A wry twist of her lips, "Now, do you give?"

He laughed "Yes I'll give." She was always so determined to win; it was funny really since she had been the one to teach him that winning wasn't everything. As she eased up from him he caught her hands in his and held her in place, lacing his fingers through hers.

She arched a brow at him that told him he better not be thinking what she thought he was thinking. He laughed again; no one could make him feel this way. After two years together he would have thought that he would be tired of her, or at least impassive to her looks; her heart; her love, but those had only become more potent to him as time went on.

"Raven?" His voice was suddenly serious, his unmasked eyes staring pensively into hers.

"What's the matter?" She went to sit back and pull off him; she only frowned when he still held her in place, moving his hands from hers to pin her with them at her waist. "I didn't hurt you?" Her voice was a little incredulous.

"What? No, no…I'm fine." He continued to stare at her, the inner workings of his mind twisting and turning down their illusive paths until he came to a conclusion. "I want to get married."

She tilted her head, leaned it forward a little and widened her eyes. Shock clear in the way her body froze and her breathing seemed to stop. "Most people do I imagine." She replied, deciding to take it as a philosophical remark rather than a serious one.

"I want to marry you." He clarified patiently watching her eyes.

"You're asking me to marry you?" Now she raised her brow again, "Laying on the floor, sweaty and bruised?"

"Perfect timing." He smiled at her and tightened his grip on her waist as he sat up, sliding her down his chest to his lap.

"Inappropriate timing is more like it." She murmured, "No roses, no candlelight, no moonlight."

"Look out the window," he gestured towards the large bay window in the gym at the full moon that beamed down at them. "Moonlight."

"You are some piece of work Boy Wonder." She shook her head at him, a small smile playing on her lips.

"So," This time he raised his brow at her. "Marry me?"

"Well at least you asked this time." She leaned down and touched her lips to his. "I will, as long as you make sure the wedding doesn't take place in a gym while I am drenched in sweat."

"Well you did win." He smiled at her as he drew her closer, until he could feel her heart beat against his.

"We both did it seems." She whispered quietly.


	7. Kama Sutra

**Okay the prompt is #15 Kama Sutra...and well it is quite citrusy, so do me a favor..don't read any further if you are too young, Turn back now :p**

**So, well first time I have written anything with a citrus feeling and I cut quite a bit out of this to keep it more pg-13 than R rating, but the prompt was 'Kama Sutra' so it was a little hard to not put something in lol. Okay, very nervous about this one now lol.  
**

**Read and Review :)**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine..and if you are underage..stop now, go no further...not for you :)**

She felt his lips trail up the side of her neck, "Stop it," She said even while she tilted her head so he could get better access. "You have one minute to stop."

"Okay, that's going to be tough for even my legendary speed and agility, but I'll see what I can do." He nipped at a spot on her jaw that caused a moan to escape involuntarily from her lips.

"You've been practicing." She breathed just before his mouth caught hers and he sank into her, her brain covered with a fog only he produced.

"Only with the best," He replied smartly as part of his brain wondered how she had managed to get her hands under his uniform and to his chest so quickly.

"The console…Robin we can't do this in the control room." She protested even as she rose to meet another brain numbing kiss, pressing her body against his.

"Sure we can, but let's try the floor and not the control panel." He winked at her as he swung her from where she had perched next to the computer monitor and laid her gently on the floor. She quickly rolled them until she was sitting on top, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

He felt her teeth scrape over the bare flesh of his chest; he saw her eyes when she sat up and felt a jolt of desire at what he saw there.

The air around them became thick, alive with pleasure until they both only saw a blur of white and felt a staggering jolt; then they were flying up and over; together falling.

He pulled her close to him as reality swam back slowly, the practical part of his brain relieved that the other Titans were going to be gone for at least another hour, while the part that was pure male wanted to beat his chest in satisfaction. Raven lay sprawled across his chest and he thought she was purring, but you could never be too sure with Raven.

She laughed, "Sex is funny." She sat up and stretched cat-like, causing the muscles in his stomach to clench.

"Hilarious." He replied dryly, "By the way, where did you learn that move?" Since she had already begun to dress, he decided to follow suit, although from the look of his shirt he was going to need a few new buttons before he could wear it out in public again.

She swung her cloak over her shoulders, giving him a small look over her shoulder, a secretive smile in place. "A book, it was a gift."

"A book?" He asked raising his brow at her, "And was it a gift for you or me?" He ran a hand through his hair.

"Both of us I think, but I don't think we need to let Speedy know we made use of his gift." She laughed softly as his eyes bulged for a minute.

"Speedy?" He coughed, tamping down instinctively on the jealousy in his brain. "He gave you a book that taught you _that_?"

"Well I assume, though I haven't read too far, that it teaches much more." She shook her head until her hair fell back into place. "It is the Kama Sutra after all."

"Speedy gave you the Kama Sutra?" He didn't think he could breath and he was pretty sure his vision was tinged in red.

"He drew my name for Christmas last year, said he figured it was probably the only book I didn't own." She cocked a brow at him.

"I don't like it." He growled, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring.

"You seemed to like it just fine a few minutes ago." She replied turning from him and back to the work she had been doing on the console before he had interrupted.

"You know that is not what I am talking about." Robin said darkly, "Who does he think he is?" He muttered under his breath, "Doesn't he know you are mine?"

"Am I?" She asked over her shoulder mildly, but he caught a warning glint in her eye. "I didn't know I belonged to anyone in particular."

He reached out and turned her around, tilting her chin with his hand and capturing her lips with his. "I don't care how archaic it is Raven, you belong to me," He stopped her protest with another quick kiss. "Just as I belong to you."

"Very well," She conceded with a shrug, it was no use arguing with him when he was in one of these moods.

He continued to stare down at her, wondering what he would do if he ever lost her. The answer to all the questions in his questing mind came like a bolt of lightening and shocked him with his ferocious need to do it. "Marry me Raven."

"Marry you?" She raised a brow at him, "Because you are jealous that Speedy gave me some book? A little dramatic isn't it Robin?"

"No...Yes…" He sighed and shook his head, hoping that would organize the jumble his brain was in. "Marry me because I want to belong to you; because I want you to belong to me. Marry me because I love you, because I need you."

She smiled slowly, gently as she was wont to do. The emotion she felt trembling down their bond only punctuated the words that he had spoken. "I should have brought the book out earlier."

They were interrupted in the middle of their celebratory kiss by the bursting entrance of their teammates.

"Dude, will you two never stop." Beastboy exclaimed in disgust, but the wide smile on his face told a different story.

"They are doing the loving Beastboy, they should never stop." Starfire replied seriously.

"Man, you know you are missing a couple buttons on that uniform?" Cyborg asked as he passed by with his arms full of groceries, a smirk on his face.

"Has there been a battle?" Starfire asked, "Is this why your uniforms are in disrepair?" She noted the slightly rumpled look of Raven's uniform as well.

Beastboy seeing the blushes sweep the birds features groaned again and quickly covered his ears. "I really don't want to know, really." He insisted.


	8. Affair

**Eek...okay, again with the citrus, sorry..I promise I don't see this happening with any of the other themes, but this is the idea that would not be buried and demanded to be written**.** BTW, Robin always manages to say the wrong thing as the wrong time and then he has to get his foot out of his mouth, no matter where I put him o.O Enjoy :) This is Theme #18 'Affair' (very loosely incorporated, but I think I did okay with it.)  
**

**Read and Review: Be warned thought that this has Citrus in it and if you aren't old enough you should pass this one right on by. :)**

**Disclaimer:I don't own them...but I could have oh so very much fun if I did (They would all need therapy afterwards, but oh so much fun)**

She came to him in the night and he never once turned her away.

He didn't welcome her out of fear that she would turn to someone else, he knew that there was no one for her but him, just as there was no other for him. Not anymore.

He eased in and found with his mouth that spot just under her jaw line that he liked the best. His fingers skimmed over her breasts, her sides and around her back to dance along her spine. The thrill that rushed after them caused Raven to lose much of her coherent thought and elicited a moan from deep within her throat.

"You're beautiful," He sighed into her as he brought his questing mouth back to her lips.

"You're skilled," The sardonic tone she struggled for came out breathless and did nothing to break the mood inside Robin's bedroom. He lowered them to the bed that was still mussed from the morning.

Kissing her he both soothed and seduced her, she moaned and wrapped her arms around him as the mood shifted from romance to passion. Keeping his hands lightly on her back he continued to fall into her with their kisses.

"Touch me," Her voice was a breathless order as she fisted her hands in his hair and pressed her body desperately to his. "I'll go insane if you don't touch me." She wrapped her legs around his waist.

Towering over her on the bed, he pulled his hands free and with a desperate mouth clamped onto her breast, suckling hard through the light material of her silk bra, he traced her other breast with a free hand. Her response was to arch her back and moan, rocking against him in desire.

"More," She demanded, wondering where this wanton woman came from and why she always seemed to appear in the night with Robin. She couldn't believe this viscous need had been in both of them. With a groan she ripped what few articles of clothing still clung to them and pulled them free, so that she could feel his mouth better on her body.

Raven climaxed the instant his teeth grazed her nipple, for an instant she was like a butterfly, cocooned and quivering and then she was more alive than she had ever been before, bursting and quivering under Robin's hands.

Like animals they dragged each other from the bed to the floor. There were no sighs, no gentle words here, only the thundering of their hearts and gasping breaths.

Need and desire drove him, one so long suppressed and denied. Robin pulled her hips up, tearing her panties from her and making her scream with his greedy mouth.

She bucked upwards, into him. Stiffening her body and arching towards the pleasure he was creating. He drove her ruthlessly, until groans rumbled deep within her throat.

"More," Robin demanded this time, he groaned now as her short fingernails scraped up his back and left crescent mark indentations in his shoulders. When she reached down to grasp him, his world spun and went gray, the beat of his pulse thundering in his ears.

Raven moved beneath him, writhing. Her amethyst eyes were so bright and nearly blind with pleasure when he captured her mouth with his again.

He reared up, clamping his hands onto her hips and plunging into her, beyond any reasoning now he pumped and thrust. His mind; gone dark, leaving only the swirling, knotted sensations as he moved in and out of her with a force that left them both gasping.

Then his body heaved and went rigid. She watched his head go back as if in pain and she felt the viscous stab of pleasure as her own body arched in answer.

Moments later, as reality began its slow slide back into their minds and bodies Robin realized that they were on his cold floor with his blankets a mess around them, but he didn't have the energy to move to his bed, let alone care where he was at the moment.

Raven curled into his side, her head pillowed on his shoulder. Robin like her like this, in these moments after they made love and all her barriers were down, when she was vulnerable; he loved that she was only this way with him.

"You keep this up, you are going to owe me more clothing than you can ever replace." Raven dangled her bra above them, both of them looking at the scrap of cloth with bemusement as it was split right down the center and still hooked in the back.

"I believe that you tore the bra this time around." He interjected with a smile.

"I wouldn't have torn it if you would have been a gentleman and taken it off in the first place." Her logical argument in place, impassive tone fitting her voice like a glove, but he heard the humor beneath it.

"Well if you hadn't worn it here in the first place…"He let the thought trail off as the both sat up and shuffled themselves into his bed, her head back on his shoulder and his arm around her gently stroking her hair.

"Yes, well as much as I would love to flash the enemy during battles, I never thought you would be so reconciled to the idea." She smiled when she felt him stiffen beside her.

Visions of someone else seeing Raven as she was now brought his own rage and jealousy to just below the surface. "Maybe I'll just get you a new one." He replied through gritted teeth.

"You're such a gentleman Wonder Boy." She smirked and poked him in the ribs until he glanced down at her face.

"I don't want to share you Raven," He sighed, "I don't want to lose you."

Again they danced around the word they swore silently never to say.

"It will never happen," She smiled at him in reassurance. "I can't promise forever and neither can you."

"We never say…." Only Robin would step right onto the path they both tried to avoid.

"There are no good byes for us." Raven responded, her apathetic voice lilting slightly at the word.

"I want to make it official."

"So what are we now? In the beta stage?" She'd been around Beastboy and Cyborg too much when she started to think in video gamer speech. She sat up, unaware of her nakedness so intent was she on his voice and his eyes.

"I don't know how to explain it." He thrust a hand through his hair and pillowed his arms beneath his head as he looked at her.

"You better come up with a way, because I don't like feeling like a car you just took for a test drive." She said darkly.

"That's not what I meant at all." Now he sat up, alarmed at where Raven's train of thought had gone, but not surprised. "I just meant that, this …affair we have, has been going on for awhile now."

"Affair?" Arched look and a pursed mouth, "We're having an affair? Shouldn't one of us be married for there to be an affair?"

"Well we never go out on dates, to avoid the flashbulbs and publicity. So we aren't dating, what would you call it?" Robin smirked at her, "We sneak around to find a few private moments together to avoid interruptions from our friends…sounds like most affairs I have heard of, we just aren't hurting anyone with this."

"Fine, for lack of a better word you may label this an affair," She paused and glared at him suspiciously when he coughed to suppress the laughter that had bubbled into his throat. "Now explain what you mean by **_Official."_**

"You in white, me in a tux," He quipped at her.

"A funeral?" Genuinely confused Raven glared at him.

Robin sighed, with her intelligence it was sometimes easy to forget that Raven knew very little about pop culture references and many traditions of earth. "Marriage Raven; I am asking you to marry me, to be my wife."

"Asking?" She kept her brow raised, "I heard no questions."

"Do you have to make everything difficult?" He queried frustration setting his face in grim tones.

"It wouldn't be difficult if you did it right." Her reply was saturated in false sweetness as she positioned herself on top of him, pulling him upwards so she was face to face with him, her legs on either side of his hips; her hands on his shoulders, his hands balancing her automatically at her waist.

"Well I suppose I should be grateful you don't have complaints in certain areas of our life." He muttered with a small smirk, his unmasked eyes drinking in the beauty of her. "Seriously though Raven, we never talked about marriage…"

"We never talk about forever, we never say goodbye," She paused turning her head to glance out his window as the sun began to brighten the sky, "You never say don't go when I leave." Her voice was soft, but carefully emotionless to cover the deep vulnerability that her words caused deep within her.

"I think it's time," He answered simply raising a hand from her waist and cupping her chin to tilt her head back to him. "Not for goodbyes, but for our forever."

"Is it?" A flash of pain and hope mingled in her gaze before she suppressed it. "Why now?"

"Why not now?" He asked quietly, "You are everything to me."

"Why marriage?" She sighed. "Why not continue in this affair…why a change?" Her fight or flight response activated all she wanted to do was run away; she shifted to act on her thoughts.

"Raven?" He whispered gently.

"What?" She asked a little harshly, shifting to move from his lap and surprised when both his hands came back to her waist to hold her still.

"Don't go," Such a simple phrase, but it did what no amount of flowery diatribe could have done. She froze, looking into his crystalline blue eyes in shock.

"You really want me to stay," In some ways, she was still the child that no one had ever loved or wanted, so unsure that she was worthy of such an emotion and she felt so unbelievably shocked when it surfaced between them.

"Turn this affair into a marriage," He smiled at her and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, "Stay here…forever."

Something akin to relief, fear and love swamp her as she continued to stare dumbstruck at him, "I didn't mind the affair."

"Neither did I, but I think marriage will be better." He continued to smile at her and he felt relief wash over him when he felt her body soften into his, her head going to his chest, tucked under his chin.

"I'll stay," She said so softly he almost didn't catch it, "I'll stay forever."

Never again did they speak of goodbyes, and he never again did he forget to say 'Stay with me.'


	9. A Second Chance

**Well...this one kind of got away from me and went from being a simple idea to becoming a near novel o.O #20 A Second Chance...doesn't everyone deserve a second chance at love?**

**Read and Review pls :)**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.**

"I'm not ready to let go." His voice was tired and he held his head in his hands sitting on a bench outside the church where they were both needed.

"Regardless of whether you are ready or not, it is time." Raven replied with her gentle apathy, standing in front of him.

"It isn't how you think," He protested when she raised a brow at him. "She has been my responsibility for so long, I don't know how I can pass that duty off to someone else. It's like a father losing his daughter."

"I doubt you ever saw her as a child," Raven replied dryly, "The point is that Roy doesn't see her as a duty, he loves her and wants to take care of her and she wants to do the same for him." She paused for a moment to consider her words. "She loves him in a way she never did you, he loves her in a way you never could. They fit each other."

"At one time it was love like that I felt." He replied softly, "Now it is tempered a great deal by friendship. So maybe I don't feel like a father, but I do feel like I am losing a friend here."

"You'll never lose her friendship, it will only change." Raven held out a hand to him, not really as an encouragement, but more as a command for him to get up. Neither one mentioned how much they hated change.

"So, it's time then." He stood and smoothed down his tux and then tucking Raven's hand into his arm he headed into the church.

"It's time to let go, to pass duty and responsibility on to someone that sees it as a benefit of love, not a burden of friendship."

"When did you acquire so much wisdom about love?" He asked as they were hurriedly placed in line by the coordinator before the large chapel doors.

"When I found myself afflicted by it." She responded carefully.

"Afflicted?" Robin raise a brow at her, "You make it sound like an illness."

"It can feel that way at times." She agreed as the music started and the line began their sedate pace down the aisle.

"So where is this love of yours?" He asked out of the side of his mouth, after all he hadn't noticed her show up with anyone.

"He isn't ready yet." She stated without moving her lips as it was their turn to walk the aisle.

The appreciative crowd smiled as they saw the formidable ice queen in a dark red gown, everyone knowing why Star had chosen wine red and gold as her colors rather than the expected pastels.

"He doesn't know you love him?" Robin kept a smile on his face and tried to speak without moving his lips, but curiosity demanded an answer. "What? Is he stupid?"

"He just might be." Was her answer as they parted in front of the minister, she turned to look up the aisle as the music changed and Star began her slow decent down the aisle on Cyborg's arm.

The ceremony was simple and grand; beautiful and serene in a way that was so Starfire, even Raven felt the occasional wave of her own emotions flood her. Star stood tall and proud next to Speedy, her dress a Cinderella ball gown that was edged in delicate gold embroidery, gorgeous from her red head to her gold painted toes.

The vows went by without a hitch; tears flowed throughout from both sides of the chapel as the young lovers declared their undying devotion and love.

And then it was over…

"Congratulations Star," Robin kept his voice even as he embraced the alien girl he had come to love and then settle into friendship with, a sense of relief flooding him when he realized that he felt nothing as they hugged.

"Roy," He nodded and smiled, in relief or congratulations he wasn't sure. "You take care of her; she's a very special girl." Robin said as he clapped the archer on the back.

"She sure is," Speedy smiled as he watched his wife embrace Raven, "But she isn't the only special girl here."

Robin followed his friend's gaze. "She's in love with someone else," he replied wondering at the sense of regret he felt at the thought. "I never stood a chance with her."

"Do you know who he is?" Speedy asked mildly, accepting a flute of champagne as it passed by on a tray. "Is he good enough for Raven?" He shot the arrow off and watched it land firmly on target as Robin turned to glare at him.

"He doesn't even know she loves him." He arched a look at Speedy, "Apparently he isn't smart enough to have already asked her out."

Speedy smiled to himself as he listened to Robin berate whoever had stolen Raven's heart with a ferocity that was seldom seen outside of crime fighting.

"Perhaps he has been busy with other things in his life," Speedy paused, "He could be one of our fellow heroes, would you deny him fulfilling his obligations to the city he protects?"

"Of course not," Robin protested downing his own glass of champagne and eyeing the crowded reception suspiciously wondering which hero was breaking Raven's heart. "But Raven is too important to have to sit and have her heartbroken."

"Perhaps." Speedy agreed as he watched Starfire and Raven head towards them, "I believe that this is my dance." He excused himself and pulled Star onto the floor.

"So what were you two discussing that got you so angry?" Raven looked at Robin, who she was pretty sure was about to break his teeth if he clenched them any harder.

"I'm not angry," He said and forcibly relaxed his jaw, taking in the vision that stood before him. Her dress was wine red and hung to her ankles; only threats and then begging had kept Star from adding a train to all her ladies dresses. The dress clung tightly to every curve; strapless it seemed to cling as if by magic to Raven's chest, it flared every so lightly as her hips to fall gently around her legs allowing her free movement, if not the ability to breath.

"Right," She replied dryly. "You keep drinking champagne like its water; you're going to have a very interesting night."

He stopped in the act of reaching for another glass and asked the waiter to bring him water instead. "I'm okay Raven," He looked at her for a moment. "How are you?"

"Fine," She drawled, wondering if he had lost his mind somewhere between the ceremony and this conversation.

"Who is he Raven," Again curiosity won the round and he blurted out the question he had meant to keep to himself.

"Who is who?" Confusion shifted briefly across her face.

"Whoever you are in love with, why haven't you told him?" Robin asked, well he had already started the conversation; he might as well finish it.

"Ahh, that who," She nodded and accepted her mug of tea from the server, taking a careful sip she looked around the crowd. "Does it really matter all that much?"

"Yes," He responded fervently, wondering why he needed to know so badly and even as part of his mind supplied the answer he tried to deny it. "It matters a great deal to me."

"Okay," She shrugged looking at him in a way that made him want to shift out from under her gaze. "You."

One single word tilted the axis of Robin's world, clarifying as much as it muddled.

"Excuse me?" He had to be sure, but it couldn't possibly mean what he wanted it to mean. He had loved her for so long; denied it for so long, that he couldn't believe the reality he stood in now. This had to be another one of those dreams he would wake from full of regret and longing.

"I love you." She enunciated each word eyeing him for all the world as if her heart wasn't on the floor waiting for him to trample on it.

"I need some air," He gasped it out before fleeing from her out onto the lawn of the reception hall, gulping in huge breaths of air.

Raven smirked mockingly to herself, he had taken that better than she had expected. She still wasn't sure why she had told him, maybe it was the atmosphere, maybe the two glasses of champagne…hell, maybe she was just too tired to carry around the secret anymore.

Carefully she set her still half full mug tea on a table near by and followed Robin outside; now that the truth was out she wanted to see this through to the finish. At the very least she would end up with a broken heart and that couldn't be any worse than the heartache she dealt with now.

"You okay?" She asked, arching a brow at his bent over position, "I didn't know that announcements of affection led to getting sick in the bushes."

"I'm not getting sick," He protested, "I'm just having trouble catching my breath." Bent over with his hands on his knees, he continued to draw air in through his nose and release through his mouth.

"I took your breath away?" Her dry, sardonic tone helped to even the ground out underneath him.

"Definitely," He stood and smirked at her slightly.

"Well, there is a first time for everything." She mused, careful to keep her face and voice expressionless.

"This isn't the first time," He answered, smiling inwardly at her brief flare of surprise before her face settled once again into its impassive lines. "This is just the most obvious occasion."

"You don't have to spout flowery lies to appease me Robin," Raven crossed her arms across her chest, partly in subconscious protection against him and partly to ward off the chill that was coming with the setting sun.

Robin tilted his head to look at her, for perhaps the first time in a long time. He shifted out of his jacket and set it across her shoulders, once again rewarded with a flash of surprise. "I don't lie to you Raven." He said simply.

"Star has always been the one that took your breath, your heart…your everything," She paused with a sigh and shook her head as he moved to interrupt, his hands still on her shoulders.

"Obviously we weren't meant to be together," He nodded his head towards the open doors that led to the wedding reception.

"Maybe not forever," She conceded, "But for a time she needed you," She sighed again. "Star needed so much, how could I deny her anything. I can live alone, on my own." She gave a sad smile. "Star was never meant to be alone, until you and Star realized that you were much better friends than lovers, I was content to be alone. I was content to watch from afar and live through your happiness. I let go of you the moment I met you." Her eyes were solemn and shadowed with an age old pain.

"You gave up on love because you thought Star needed me more?" A little out of his depth here Robin struggled for footing.

"I never gave up on love Robin, I remained a friend. I have loved you for as long as I have truly known you, but I didn't need you, she did." Raven tried to find the words to explain to him the emotions that had run through her for so long. "When I first figured out what was going on I denied it, I'm not a person built for loving anyone." She gave a wry smirk at the thought. "Then when I couldn't deny it Star was there and so desperately needful of you that I couldn't step between the two of you."

"First off Raven, you are definitely built to love and you do so in a way that constantly leaves me amazed. To be your friend is an honor I would never want to be without, to be loved by you; well…it leaves me breathless." He chuckled a little, wondering when and how his world had steadied. "Second, I don't know what would have happened if you had tried to step in before Star. I know that I have always had feeling for you, feelings I kept carefully boxed up and shelved because I knew they weren't returned. I loved Star…I love Star, but we are much better friends than lovers."

"Don't try and tell me that there was no chemistry between the two of you," She gave him a small emotionless smile, "I am an empath, you know."

"Yeah, there was chemistry," He shrugged a shoulder lightly; he wasn't going to deny it. "It burned hot and fast and then it was gone. We were left with each other after that haze left us and we realized that while we may have loved each other, we weren't in love with each other."

"Not much of a difference there." She replied.

"A huge difference, a chasm that couldn't be ignored." He shook her shoulders a little. "You know you still make me burn, you still make me breathless after all this time. No matter how often I shoved those emotions away, every time you would brush by me…" He let her go and turned away from her, leaving his sentence unfinished.

"I love you Robin, but I can live with what has never been. I can live with what might have been." She took a hesitant step towards him and stopping. "I can't live with knowing you and having it not be enough, I can't be another Star to you." She wondered if he understood what she was saying.

"Raven it's been ten years since you made my heart stop in my chest with a glance and my breath catch with a glare. Even when you irritate me, I want you; I love you. You can't compare to Star in what you make me feel," a self depreciating laugh. "You can't compare to anyone in how insane you make me."

"You can't promise forever Robin, you can't." She insisted, wondering what was driving her in this conversation; wondering why she couldn't be blasé and sarcastic about all this.

"No," He agreed, "No one can promise you forever Raven, but you are the first person I have wanted to be with for that long." He turned to her and took her hands in his, his jacket fell unheeded to the ground.

Night enveloped them, the moon's bright face shining down on them and the music from the reception spilled out the doorway a few feet behind them.

"I can't imagine a life without you in it Raven." His voice was a study of quiet desperation. "No matter what has happened, you have always been there and the thought of you anywhere else terrifies me."

"Nothing terrifies you Robin, you've been to hell remember." A twist of her lips and a softening of her features gave him hope.

"I went for you." He said quietly. "I would go again, knowing you were there or not. Give me a chance."

A brief smile lit her features, "A second chance maybe."

"I always do better the second time anyway."

He pulled her closer and settled his lips on hers. "Will you marry me Raven?"

Raven stared at him, eyes wide…absolute shock on her face. "Are you insane?"

"What?" He laughed gently and pulled her stiff body in to his arms, relishing the feel of her relaxing into him. "I'm serious Raven."

"I don't think I can breathe." She whispered hoarsely, gulping in great gasps of air.

"So," he smirked and she knew what was coming, "I make you breathless?"

"You make me insane." She shook her head. "I suppose that makes us perfect." She replied.

"So you want a big wedding or a little one?" He asked, enjoying the softness of her against him.

"I haven't said yes yet." She protested sardonically.

"I've decided to withdraw the question." He shifted her away so he could meet her eyes with his masked ones, "As your leader, I do believe I am going to have to make it an order."

She arched her brows at him in disbelief, her mouth a thin line. "The sacrifices I make for the team." She said in a martyred tone.


	10. A fight

**#26 'A Fight' This actually came about because of a line I wanted Raven to say and then spiraled from there. :) I hope you enjoy.**

**Read and Review pls :)**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, my cages are still very empty :(**

Across the counter she met his gaze without flinching, refusing to let him know how her heart was shattering behind her emotionless façade.

"Good Morning," Robin finally spoke just to break the deafening silence.

Raven just shrugged and turned away from him to continue making her tea.

"So I guess you're avoiding me," Well if he couldn't pretend that nothing was wrong, he's just get right to the point.

"No," She eyed him over her shoulder, a picture of indifference. "Currently I am ignoring you, you aren't significant enough to avoid." Robin thought he felt an actual physical impact from that barb.

Cyborg had just entered the room when Raven replied to Robin, without a word he turned around, deciding breakfast out with Beastboy and Star would be a safer and healthier option.

"I can't believe you are mad about this." Robin shook his head in exasperation.

"Do I look mad?" She turned back around to face him, tea mug in hand, her face schooled into lines of passivity.

He just glared at her, of course she didn't look mad, but she was…he knew it, hell; he could feel it buzzing down the unseen chord that connected their minds. "Raven, it was just a kiss."

"I wasn't blind then, nor am I now." She lifted a brow at him. "I saw what it was, just like every other person who watched the news last night."

"It wasn't what it looked like, you know that." Now he was pleading, desperate that she hear him.

"Apparently it was," She curved a side of her mouth into a dark smirk. "It was _just_ a kiss." She emphasized 'just' with a sneer and concentrated on not throwing her mug at Robin's head.

"She kissed me, I didn't do anything."

"That much was obvious," She paused as if a thought had just occurred to her. "But tell me Boy Wonder…with all your legendary agility, how was it that you didn't move?"

"I moved," His brows furrowed, "It just surprised me that's all, most of the people we rescue don't attack us."

"So it's an attack now? I thought it was a kiss." Carefully she took a sip of tea, her eyes never leaving his.

"What did you want me to do?" He ground out, his frustration finally leaking into his tone, "Punch her?"

"Of course not," Raven shook her head. "You just didn't have to enjoy it quite so much."

She was jealous, he felt like someone had sucker punched him in the stomach as that realization flashed in his mind. Raven didn't do jealousy, but here she was and her words definitely seemed to have a green tinge to them. Robin felt a wave of pure masculine pride; she cared enough to be jealous.

"Why are you staring at me like I just grew a second head?" Raven asked more peevishly than she had intended.

"Raven," He sighed, clutching at straws in his mind as he tried to think about what to say to put her at ease, because now along with the anger that was pouring through their bond he felt the undercurrent of fear and he would do anything to erase that fear. "Raven, you're right. I should have done something…what, I don't know, but I should have done something besides stand there like a deer caught in the headlights."

She turned from him, forcing the image of the kiss out of her mind; forcing the fears and question it had raised down into her mind. The image, fears and questions refused to dissipate, no matter how hard she tried. "It doesn't matter." She finally replied, her voice losing its impassive tone and now she just sounded tired.

He came around the counter, he reached out and curled a hand over her shoulder; she jerked and nearly dropped the mug to the tiled floor. He cursed himself and let his hands fall to his sides; he should have realized what was really going on right away. He should never have let his own anger get in the way of seeing the pain and fear she covered with her anger.

"It matters," He said softly, yearning to touch her and soothe her, but he knew that now was the time for talking. "I'm an idiot for saying that it didn't matter, because it does." He shoved a hand through his hair, searching for the words. "I love you." It was all he could think of, nothing else seemed right.

Her back was still to him, but she seemed to flinch at his words. "Do you?" Her voice was soft, a whisper that barely carried her words to him.

"God Raven," Stunned by how quickly his world seemed to be falling apart he silently cursed the unknown girl who had caused so much damage with an unthinking gesture. "Of course I do, how can you even think that?"

Slowly she turned to him, her eyes screaming with pain, her body almost rigid with her fears; her voice was heartbreakingly solemn when she spoke. "Look around us Robin, nothing about us makes sense. I barely know what love is, maybe you don't either. Maybe everything we have is just an illusion we hang on to so desperately so our nights won't be so cold and lonely."

"No," His eyes hardened behind his mask and he reached out to grab her before she could walk away, his hands hard, but not painful on her shoulders. The mug of tea dropped unnoticed to the floor, the sound of it shattering hung in the air as Robin barely managed to keep himself from shaking the woman in front of him. "This is not an illusion," He moved quickly, kissing her harshly and leaving them both breathless. "Who ever said we had to make sense?"

"I just can't do this," Again she tried to move from him, but he held her firmly.

"Are you going to runaway Raven?" Robin's tone held a taunt in it and the effectiveness of it was clear in the way she stiffened her shoulders and glared at him. "This is about more than a stupid kiss from some girl I don't even know."

Her legendary composure began to crack under the strain that it was under. "I don't like this." She waved a hand to encompass what she was feeling, what had prompted the fight and this conversation.

"It's called jealousy Raven," He gave a quick disarming smile before continuing, "I should know, I've felt it often enough myself."

"Jealous? When?" She stared at him, stunned. She was an empath, if he had ever been jealous, she should have known.

He gave a short bark of laughter, "Every time Titans East comes this way and Speedy decides to flirt with you. Every time we are in public and some guy gets a view of you under your hood. I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to blacken an eye. Trust me; I am very familiar with that particular emotion." He took a chance and brushed a finger over her cheek.

She sighed, "It hurt," She paused and leaned into his hand as it cupped her cheek. "I knew…I know that you love me, but at that moment it felt like someone had ripped something vital away from me and I didn't know how to get it back."

"I'm so sorry Raven," His voice trembled a little as he looked into her damp eyes. "I would do anything to erase that moment."

She smiled at him, her ravaged emotions finally beginning to smooth out. "No, I'm sorry. I should have come to you instead of letting this fester and turn into what it did."

He pulled her fully into his arms, feeling her warm breath on his neck as she laid her head on his shoulder. Wondering what he had done to deserve a love so powerful that even after three years together it still made him catch his breath.

"Raven," He paused for a second, lifting his hand to smooth over her hair.

"Hmm?"

"Do you like roses or lilies?"

"Both I suppose," She leaned back and looked up at him, "What does that have to do with anything?"

He released her for a moment and reached into a compartment of his utility belt, bringing out a small velvet box. "I just thought it might be important in a minute." He smiled and held the box out to her.

"Robin," Exasperated and not quite understanding the hope in his eyes, "You know I don't wear jewelry." The rest of her comment stuttered to a halt when he opened the box up and she stared at the winking diamond solitaire.

"I know we aren't conventional, or even traditional." He knelt, "But some things are traditions are worth doing. Marry me Raven, please?"

"How long have you been carrying that in your belt?" She looked from the ring to him and back again.

"I always like to be prepared." He winked at her and slid it onto her finger.

"It fits," Surprised she stared at him, but made no move to take the ring off.

"Of course it does," He smiled again, "I was going to ask you at dinner last night, but well…"

"Stand up before you get a crick in your neck blunder boy." She felt dazzled by him.

"You haven't answered me yet." He came to his feet though.

"I'm still wearing the damned thing aren't I?" She arched a look in his direction, as if he were an idiot.

"I suppose you are."

He reached for her again and folded her into his arms. "Lilies I think." She replied quietly as their lips met in a soft kiss; an unbreakable promise for their future.


	11. All the Romantic Cliches

**Prompt #22 'All the Romantic Cliches' ** **Well...I hope you enjoy this one, we are going to pretend here that Robin and Raven have been together for a decent amount of time, so a lot of the angst that is prevalent in most of their stories has been worked out for the most part.**

**Fluffy...fluff...fluffiness :)**

**Read and Review :)**

**Disclaimer: I own...well, not much and certainly not the Titans.**

Candles? Check.

Flowers? Check.

Dinner for two under the stars? Check.

Tux? Check, the damn neck kept choking him and without his cape he felt off balance, but he was wearing the thing. Starfire had insisted when she had found out what he was up to.

Raven? Where the hell was she? She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.

"Take a deep breath," He breathed in, letting it out with a whoosh. "This isn't that big of a deal." He argued briefly. "The hell it's not."

"This had better be good Robin," She grumbled when she finally stepped out onto the roof, moving as steadily as she could in heels. "Star said that you told her to 'dress me up'" She took in the table, flowers and tux and sent an arch look in his direction. "Wasn't Valentine's day last month?"

"I just felt like doing something different," Robin defended himself, crossing to where she stood and leading her to the table. "By the way, you look great." He smiled, wondering why he had such a lump in his throat.

"If that alarm rings I am not leaving the Tower," She replied tentatively sitting in the midnight blue gown that Starfire had some how managed to squeeze her into. At least this one was velvet, her other option had been covered in sequins and short enough to be illegal in most states. This dress hung by beaded spaghetti straps and clung suggestively to her curves, but it was a respectable length ending just above her knees.

"You look beautiful Raven," He smiled at her glower. "I'm sure you would do just fine if you needed to."

"So speaks the man _not _walking in heels."

"You fly Raven, what do heels matter?" He took his seat across the small round table, "You could always take them off."

"And have Starfire find out?" She tilted her head and raised her brow. "I have no desire to have an angry alien after me."

"The table cloth is long and I won't tell if you won't." He grinned at the hopeful look that came into her eyes.

"You think?" She looked behind her as if expecting to see Starfire appear the minute she kicked off the painful heels. "I don't mind the height they give me, but why would any woman want to cram her toes into such points is beyond my comprehension." She picked up a fork and eyed her plate; she poked the food and looked at him again.

"Cyborg made the dinner," He replied a little hesitantly.

"Well at least we got a vegetable." She smirked as she began to eat the tender baby carrots, carefully avoiding the (possibly) still mooing chunk of cow on her plate.

Robin just shook his head with a smile; this was why he loved her so much. No matter how dark and depressing the rest of the world seemed to find her, he found that she had a sense of humor that he could appreciate even in the tensest situation.

"Aren't you going to eat?" She hated when he stared at her like that, it always made her feel self-conscious.

"I would think you would be used to me looking at you by now," He chuckled quietly, picking up his own fork.

"I would think you would know what I looked like by now." She reached for her glass of wine and took a careful sip.

"Maybe, but I like to shore up the image." He smirked at her as she shook her head in mock despair.

"Take a picture," She muttered.

"A picture can't capture what I see," His face turned serious and he put his fork down to reach over for her hand.

She sighed and tried to ignore the sensations that shot up her arm as he played with her fingers. "Seriously Robin, what is this all about?" She waved her free hand around to indicate the setup. "Some dare to see if you could get me into a dress?"

"No, no dare." He laughed at the memory. "I promised I wouldn't take anymore after that first one."

"You must have had a death wish," She smiled gently, "Why you would do anything that Beastboy suggested is beyond my comprehension."

"I just wanted an excuse to kiss you." He remembered walking up behind her that day in the kitchen; hands sweaty, heart pounding and face flushed. He had meant to say something suave first, but when she had turned to look at him he'd just done it. Grabbed her arms and planted a kiss on her that had left them both gasping for air. The real surprise had come when she hadn't blasted him into a wall, but kissed him again. "I won ten bucks off both Cyborg and Beastboy as well."

"Glad I could be of service," She replied dryly remembering the warm flush that had ran through her the minute their lips had touched for the first time.

"So am I," He grinned wickedly, scooting his chair until he was right beside her. "Raven," He took a deep breath and somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered why he was dizzy.

"What?" She asked confused by the muddle of emotion that was radiating off of him. "Is something wrong?"

"No nothing is wrong," He smiled gently and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. "I just…" He grappled for the right words. "We have never talked about the future really, have we?"

"No, we both know that our futures are pretty complicated," She furrowed her brow in confusion. "We've always been happy with the present; we know we are the kind of people that may not have a future past tonight."

"I worked so hard to find the right words and I can't seem to find any of them tonight." He sighed holding both of her hands in his, his mask less eyes on hers; yearning for her to understand what he was trying to say; to ask.

Her eyes widened slightly and she took into account the props of the evening. "Flowers, candlelight, dressing up?" She stared at him in shock. "Are you serious?"

"I can't think of a time when I have been more serious," He let go of one of her hands to reach into his pocket and pull out a small velvet box. "Raven, will you marry me? Will you share a future with me?"

"Robin…Richard…" Speechless Raven stared dumbly at the sparkling solitaire. "I don't know what to do." She whispered.

"Say yes," He smiled at her again, taking the ring out of the box and sliding it onto her finger.

"Yes?"

"It's not supposed to be a question Raven," He laughed nervously as she continued to process everything.

"You are such a cliché Richard," She finally muttered dryly, admiring the ring and the way it seemed to fit so right on her hand.

"It's not my fault this time." He laughed as he stood and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. "I asked Star for help and she decided we had to do everything 'like they do in the tales of fairy' What could I do?"

Raven just shook her head, "She is the worst secret keeper, how did you manage to keep her from telling me?"

"It was her idea; she was worried that I was going to tell you." He frowned slightly, "I think I may have promised her our first born if I broke the secret."

"So we are having children now as well?"

"We are going to have a future," He tilted her chin until she was looking at him again and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "We'll see what happens when we get there."

"A future," She smiled and reached up to lock her arms around his neck. "That sounds nice."


End file.
